gods country

 gods country
Big Pine & Bishop in the early 1900s



All photo cards on this page courtesy of Rich McCutchan archives unless otherwise noted.
The photographs of the Smith and Tate family, and other early Big Pine residents, are from two personal Big Pine
photo albums in Rich's Archives.

See USE NOTICE on Home Page.


"Home on the Range"
by Oscar Lewis



The Smiths and Halls (and others) of Big Pine
big pine residents
L/R: Faye, Millard Smith, Effie McNunny (standing), Ardys (in Millard's lap), Jim Smith, Nellie Smith


big pine residents
Unknown Big Pine residents

big pine residents

L/R: ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Sam McNunny, Effie McNunny, ?
howard on dan
Howard ? on Dan (the horse)

the clan

L/R (standing): Will, May, Millard, George (child)
L/R (seated): Howard, Bud, Robert, Grandma Smith



bud and hired man
L/R: Bud and a hired hand

faye and bud


Faye and Grandpa Bud

faye
Faye

aunt edith
Aunt Edith alongside frozen flume

surry
Riding in the "surry with the fringe on top"

big pine rodeo
1923 Big Pine Rodeo

hauling hay
Papa in Lone Pine with a load of hay

clan
L/R: Hattie & Dan Hall, George Hall, Mary Hall and husband Nick, Nettie Hall (George's wife), Michael ?


Two ladies near the ends are Hattie (Harriet) and Nettie Bedford Hall. They are twins who married Daniel Hall and George Hall respectively. Other three folks are also members of the Hall family. Dan Hall and Harriett Bedford married in Nevada in the mid 1870's. Their daughter, Ida Frances (b. 1876) married Edwin Crocker of the Crocker Brothers Cattle Company in Bishop in 1896.

[Information courtesy of Cynthia Crocker Scott - December 2004]

rodeo
1923 Big Pine Rodeo

rodeo
1923 Big Pine Rodeo

rodeo
1923 Big Pine Rodeo

rodeo
1923 Big Pine Rodeo

rodeo
Roland Hunter in the 1923 Big Pine Rodeo

rodeo
1923 Big Pine Rodeo

rodeo
Roland Hunter in the 1923 Big Pine Rodeo

rodeo
Roland Hunter in the 1923 Big Pine Rodeo

baby faye
Baby Faye and ?

mt whitney
Summit of Mt. Whitney

big pine
Main Street Big Pine, CA

big pine
Big Pine, CA

big pine
Big Pine, CA

big pine
Big Pine, CA
(Close-up of couple)


nellie smith
Nellie Smith

howard's home
Howard's new home in Big Pine, CA
L/R: Betty, Rita, Howard



"Sierra Thunderstorms"
by John Muir



The Utter Family of Big Pine
(Text and photos courtesy of Bill Utter)


Here’s a story about the Utter family who came from Iowa and settled in Big Pine.

The Henry H. Utter family left Iowa and headed to California. About the 1890s they packed their belongings on a train and made a stop in San Bernardino, California. Finding that this was not where they wanted to be and after hearing about how green the Owens Valley, they decided to settle there.  They settled in Big Pine and began farming and raising their family. Henry and his wife Sarah Ellen (Embree) of their 13 children they brought 9 children to California. Henry was born 1839 in Indiana. He died 1931 and is in the Big Pine Cemetery. Sarah Ellen was born in 1841 in Indiana. She died in 1925 and is in the Big Pine Cemetery. Their children were:

1. William Ransome Utter was born in 1861 in Iowa and died in 1947 and is buried in Inglewood, California. He married Lillie Jane (Cramer). She was born in 1864 in Illinois and died in 1942 in San Bernardino, CA.
Their children were: William Edson born in 1893 in Iowa. His wife was Eva Mabel Crmean. He died in 1988 in Bishop, CA,
Elmer Ray Utter born in 1900 died in 1905 in Big Pine,
Leonard Jennings Utter born 1901 Big Pine, CA

2. Flora May Utter was born in 1864 died in 1947 in Hemet, CA
3. James H. Utter was born in 1865 in Iowa and died in 1892 in Tulare, CA
4. Frances Elizabeth Utter was born in 1867 in Iowa and died in 1870 in Iowa
5. Adron S. Utter was born in 1869in Iowa and died in 1893 in Iowa
6. Robert Ezekiel Utter was born 1871 Iowa died 1954 Bishop, CA
7. Charles H. Utter was born in 1874 in Iowa and died in 1874 in Iowa
8. Susan Elizabeth Utter was born in 1875 in Iowa and died in 1923 in Los Angeles, CA
9. Mary Comfort Utter was born in 1877 in Iowa and died in 1958 in San Bernardino, CA
10. Joseph Walter Utter was born in 1879 in Iowa and died in 1959 in Bishop, CA
11. John Chester Utter was born in 1881 in Iowa and died in 1946 in Bishop, CA
12. Sarah Ellen Utter was born in 1884 and died in 1904 in Big Pine, CA
13. Iva Nora Utter was born in 1887 in Iowa and died in 1968 in Sacramento, CA

From these children came many more who lived in the Owens Valley. My line comes from William Ransome and Lillie Jane above. My grandfather Leonard Jennings married Alice Bagley. Her family lived on a ranch in Bishop. They raised three sons: Leonard R. Utter, my dad, Roy G. Utter and Richard Neil Utter. They lived, went to school, played, went to church, hiked and fished the Big Pine Creek and hunted deer and other animals. I’ve heard many a story around a sage brush camp fire. My grandfather farmed and ranched. When Los Angeles took the water from the valley and the Watterson Bank took all their money ($75,000) that they never got back, they moved to Hawthorne, CA and started a new life.

utter family
L/R: William Utter, Leonard J. Utter,
William Utter,
Lillie Jane Cramer Utter
circa 1910
utter family
William Utter, Iowa - circa 1870
big pine school
Big Pine School

utter family
Sarah Embry Utter
utter family
Lillie Jane Cramer Utter
school
School Picture, 3rd-4th grade - Big Pine, CA
Mrs. Ruth Pierson Teacher
1932-1933

utter family
Leonard J. Utter, 9yr - Big Pine CA
circa
1909

utter family
Leonard Utter
utter family
L/R: ?, ?, ?, Leonard J. Utter, ?, Stella Bagley
utter family
L/R: John Bagley, Art Hallstone,
Leonard Utter
utter family
L/R: Leonard Utter, Clyde Bishop
utter family
Henry Utter - circa 1898
big pine church group
Big Pine church group
utter family
L/R: Bud Utter, Roy Utter, Richard Utter, Leonard Utter
March 1931

utter family
L/R: Bud Utter, Roy Utter, Leonard J Utter
Big Pine CA - 1925
utter family
L/R: Bud Utter, Leonard Utter
utter family
L/R: Bud Utter, Roy Utter, Dick Utter - 1935
utter home
Utter home in Big Pine, CA

utter family
L/R: Art Hallstone, Ruth Bagley Hallstone,
Alice Bagley Utter
utter family
L/R: Bill Utter, William Utter, Bud Utter, Leonard Utter- 1925
utter family
Alice Bagley Utter
utter family
L/R (back): Alice Bagley Utter,
Eva Cramer Utter, William Utter
L/R: Roy G. Utter, Leonard R. Utter

utter family
L/R: Joh ?, Art Hallstone, Leonard Utter
utter family
On the ranch in Bishop, CA
L/R: John Bagley, Leonard Utter, Alice Bagley Utter


school
Big Pine School Class Photo - circa 1930


belt

matchbook covers

matchbook covers

matchbook covers

belt

burton frasher
Burton Frasher and his photo vehicle at Glacier Lodge 1929
new 11/23
at glacier lodge
Burton Frasher and his photo vehicle at Glacier Lodge - 1929
(Photo courtesy of the Online Archive of California)

taec

Jim Nikolaus Chevron station in Big Pine, CA.
(Photo courtesy of Tales Along El Camino Sierra)

new 11/23
Midland trail sign
Midland Trail Sign
(Photo courtesy of the Online Archive of California)

belt


alvord station

Sierra Nevadas from Alvord Station, two miles east of Big Pine. Inyo County, California. 1894

pack train
Pack train in pass between Palisade Creek and Cartridge Creek - 1907

pack train
Pack train in the snow at the head of Palisade Creek - 1907

belt

fred eaton
Fred Eaton - circa 1913

Hal Eaton writes: This is my great grandfather circa 1913 next to the Big Pine tree that my family says he planted. Fred also planted, being the 19 year old guy in charge of the shovel, the four Moreton Bay Fig trees in the LA Plaza near Olvera Street in 1875. Last year one got overwatered with the rains and fell over on its own. Here's the hole. Also most people to not know the tree was first named for Carl G. Fisher a Hoosier autodealer who promoted the Lincoln Highway at time and drove through town. Tree was in his honor. The tree was sort of forgotten until 1919 when it was renamed for Roosevelt. Newspaper at time mention it was the only Sequoia in Inyo County. In 1920 W. G. Scott asked town to fix condition of tree as "It is destined to make Big Pine famous if it is properly treated and cared for." The town then went to work.W. G. Scott after planting the AAA tree in 1921, stopped by Big Pine and took photograph of the Big Pine tree now called the Roosevelt Tree. These Sequoias can grow two feet per year for the first 50-100 according to the Interwebs.

The Fisher Tree languished for several years. The tree was renamed the Roosevelt Tree February 9, 1919. Scott visited and brought a photographer there September to get photographs for a magazine, but the condition of the tree was so unsightly and unkempt that he could not make a usable picture. He also wanted to expand the area outside of the easement buy securing small section of the Rossi Ranch which they agreed to donate. The fence was added in 1920 and area cleaned up, so it was good enough to photograph. Water source must have been added at that time. The work was spearhead by Leonidas L Goen, the principle of the Indian School.

(Photo and text courtesy of Hal Eaton)

belt

Big Pine photos courtesy of UCLA Digital Library Collections

big pine
L/R: Al Schmitz, Charlie Stavnow and Elmer Cole stand in their camp
near Taboose Creek, circa 1920

big pine
H. H. West's family arriving at Farrington's Ranch near Big Pine - 1914

big pine
Exterior of the Hotel Butler in Big Pine - 1927

big pine
Men sitting under awnings in Big Pine storefront - 1927

big pine
Bishop Pine branch of Inyo County Bank closes its doors - 1927

belt

new 01/23
land use map
Owens Valley Lands near Bishop and Big Pine - Circa 1913
Creater - Charles H. Lee
(Map courtesy of the Online Archive of California)
(UC Riverside, Library, Water Resources Collections and Archives )

belt

Vintage Eastern Sierra Brochures  

Cerro Gordo  

More Big Pine
arrow
 

 Early Bishop Residents

 

Mary Austin

 

The Carson & Colorado Railroad in Owens Valley


sign
Free Guestbook
Sign Guestbook

View Old Guest Book Entries
Oct 1999 - Feb 2015 (MS Word)

Sunhorn
CONTACT the Pigmy Packer  

view
Free Guestbook
View Guestbook

View Old Guest Book Entries
Oct 1999 - Feb 2015 (PDF)

This page was last updated on 23 April 2024